The weekly sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1886-1887, 1887-02-17
CHAPTER XIV.


I locked neither to the right hand
nor to the left as / walked on, so
absorbed in thinking of the strange
story I had heard that | noticed
nothing until / reached the spring,
where I was startled by the presence
of man seated upon the same mos
sy stone that / had vacated an hour
before. He turned round as l APP
preached, and | saw that it was DR..
Barron. Seeing my surprise, he said
at once,
"Don't be frightened, Miss Rem
bert saw the direction that you
took in your walk, and came to meet
you, as I would like to have little
talk with you if you have no objec-
ton" His manner was perfectly
respectful, even deferential, and [
could find no excuse to avoid the
"talk" which but short while be-
fore I had so much wished for. But
/ declined to take the seat that he
offered me upon the same MOSCOW
cred stone at his side; so he rose and
said,
"Well, if you prefer to walk on,
we will do so, but there is no need
for you to hurry, as Pauline has
returned, and you are released from
your charge, which I imagine has
been no pleasant one"
[ did not wish to reveal as vet,
the strange story to which [ had
been listening, as | had not formed
any idea as to what I ought to do.
So L said as few words as possible,
only replying, I am glad the nurse
has come, as she must be more cap
able, as well as more experienced
than myself" Then [ added i'm
pulsively-
"But [ hope she will be more kind
to poor Winnie-I feel Gerry, Gerry
sorry for her!"
He looked for a moment as if he
had not heard me, and then said,
z "It was shame to have put you
in such a position, but it was not my
doing. But who has been unkind
to Winnie; have you any suspicion
of unkindness?"
Here I felt somewhat at a loss,
and wondered if he knew SO little of
what was going on in his own house
hold-or if he had no more pity for
the helpless, afflicted creature in his
house than to fail to keep himself
informed as to her well-doing, or if
be only assumed this ignorance of
what was so apparent to myself, SO /
said simply
81 do not know, you surely ought
to know more than I possibly can Of
your household affairs"
He seemed to hesitate moment
then said,
"See here, Miss Rembert, no one
can be in my house for day with
out discovering one fact, that my
wife and / are not a very loving
pair. She is, like all suspicious and
Jealous women, at times without
sense or reason, and in trying to
avoid her unreasonable suspicious
and temper, / become more indif-
ferent to my household affairs as
you call them, than [ ought in fact
I feel very often much more in
clined to let things go to the dogs
generally"
"1ncluding your. poor afflicted
step-daughter" [ could not helE
saying.
"Well, I would help the child II
I could, but it would take a long
story to make you see how thing
are. i would have to expose-well
all [ can say just now is this, Mis-.
Rembert, do not judge me too
harshly without a knowledge of thu
circumstances, especially of my owl
position, and, IN the mean time, i
you can make that poor girls exist
ence more tolerable byyour kindnes
and gentleness, I hope you will no
fail to do so. / have no reason t
love her, but / certainly wish her t.
be well cared for"
1 readily promised to "do what
COULD" and some how after thi
interview / felt more kindly dis
posed toward this man, for whom
little while before, I had felt onl
loathing and contempt, not eve
pity for his imbecile weakness, bu
now sort of pity for him did cree
into my heart, mingled with stil
unmitigated contempt for what mus